Velvet
by adistantland
Summary: What Mikasa desired was revenge, and to cavort with the enemy was the only way to achieve her goal. It's too bad he's always one step ahead of her. Modern AU. Slow burn.
1. Prologue

_I know I have another story to write, but I was actually working on this before I even started the other. I just really needed to finish this before I got distracted with other things. Anyway! This is actually based on a short story I wrote for my boyfriend a while back. And I thought, well why not revamp it with Rivamika in it? And walla! I came up with this._

_Enjoy!_

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Prologue

xxxxx

"Lighten up, Levi! We were just messing around!" Hanji exclaimed, drunkenly clutching at Levi's jacket sleeve when he rose from his seat. The rest of the group nodded in agreement, all equally as inebriated as the woman hanging off his arm. "Yeah! It's all right being short at your age. I mean, look at Petr-" Auruo piped up, only to be knocked on the back of the head by the woman herself. Erwin chuckled at the pair, cheeks the color of beet red from the liquor.

Hanji nearly toppled off her chair when he managed to shake her off. "I have to go home anyway," Levi muttered impatiently, strapping his leather messenger bag across his chest. "I have a long shift tomorrow."

Disinterested groans filled the air, followed by _"You were supposed to be our ride home!" _and _"But it's a Friday!". _One of them even had the audacity to toss a crumpled up napkin at him. Some friends they were.

"Get a fucking cab, you losers." He replied brusquely, tossing a folded twenty dollar bill onto their table before shoving his way past strangers out of the bar.

Cool air rushed around him as he stepped through the threshold, the dimness of the lounge doing no favors to his eyes when they met the flashing billboards across the street. Rubbing his bleary eyes, he tugged the umbrella out of his bag and began the trek home. He slipped on his leather gloves, expertly weaving around tourists and other night owls without having to spare a glance at them. Listening to the steady _pitter-patter _of the rain above him made him more weary than he already was, despite it soaking him to the bone. His umbrella really wasn't doing him a service against the wretched combination of wind and rain. Levi exhaled slowly, watching his breath fog out in front of him. It was times like these when he really wished he had a vehicle.

Peering down at his watch, he sighed again.

_1:07_

He should have been in bed hours ago. Why did he always allow his friends to drag him out and about this late? Especially when he knew he had work in the morning. They knew he was a busy man and that these last couple of years of his education were of utmost importance, but they simply disregarded it time and time again. Every time he was studying, he would get a _"Levi, you need to take a break!" _and _"Levi, it's not important right now!" _or _"We haven't seen you all week!"_. He profoundly cared for each and every one of them, but they needed to learn when he needed personal space.

He arrived at the apartment building about ten minutes later. It was lucky that they decided to go to a bar close to his place. Pushing back the dripping strands of hair from his face, he sluggishly made his way up the first flight of stairs.

That's when he saw her.

It was a woman sprawled head-down on the second staircase. Levi takes a tentative step towards her, only now realizing that she's unconscious. And _bleeding. _He grimaces to himself as he looks her over, taking note of every scrape and bruise adorning this woman's body. She's a real mess; hair disheveled and damp, make-up smeared, right sleeve of her pink sweater torn to reveal a deep gash on her forearm. His eyes finally land on the red scarf wrapped loosely around her neck. _Mikasa._ If it weren't for the damned piece of cloth, he honestly wouldn't have recognized her.

Levi knelt beside her, pushing her wet locks away from her face, only to unveil another cut above her brow. What the hell happened to her? "Ackerman."

She didn't respond.

He gently shook her.

Still no response.

He cautiously turned her onto her back. Bending over, he pressed his ear to her chest. _Ba-dum, ba-dum._ Her heartbeat was slow, but it was there nonetheless. _So much for going to bed, _he thinks grumpily, carefully hauling her into his arms.

Was it that difficult for her roommates to keep an eye on her?

He could understand if Sasha couldn't, but Annie? She was incredibly observant, and he vaguely wondered why she wasn't out looking for Mikasa right now.

Levi carries her limp body to his apartment on the third floor without breaking a sweat. Setting her on the couch, he left for the bathroom, grabbing a couple of towels and his medical kit before returning to her. After properly numbing her forearm, Levi wrapped it in a towel, needing to make sure the bleeding slowed down as the medication took effect before he could properly heal her.

Standing up, he made his way to the thermostat and cranked up the heat. He shed his clothes, slipping on sweats and a long sleeved thermal before grabbing a couple pairs of socks and two bulky blankets. Levi stared at Mikasa for a minute, contemplating whether or not he should discard her soaking wet clothes or not. It would benefit her, definitely, and if she happened to slap him in the morning, then so be it.

Grabbing some scissors, Levi cut along the length of the sleeves of her drenched sweater. Discarding it to the side, he cut the straps and side of her white dress as well. She would certainly be mad at him when she awakened, he decided. He'll just have to make sure to pay her back for the clothes before she left.

Levi thanked the heavens when, upon getting rid of the dress, he found that she was wearing a bra and panties underneath. He hadn't even considered that beforehand. After he unwrapped the filthy scarf from her neck, Levi slipped the two pairs of socks over her feet, proceeding to bury her underneath the thick wool blankets. He settled into the chair beside her. Tossing the towel down next to him, he inspected the cut on her arm. It was pretty severe, but it wasn't anything he couldn't fix.

Gently disinfecting her wound, Levi kept his sharp eyes on her slack form. She was incredibly pale, more than she already was, and her breathing shallow. She would be fine once he was done fixing her up, he concedes; he didn't go into medical school for nothing.

His gaze trailed down to her ashen, chapped lips. Levi mentally curses himself for thinking of inappropriate ways to make them rosy and swollen again. He couldn't help himself. Not when she was so beautiful. Especially when she was _not _yelling at him for once.

_Damn this girl_, he thought angrily, beginning to stitch up her injury.

Mikasa had been a pain in his ass ever since he moved in three years ago. She would constantly berate him over every minuscule thing he did, steal his mail just to annoy him, and even attempt to hit him on more than one occasion. Levi, to this day, still wasn't sure what he had done to make her so angry at him.

It all started when he met her two years ago at a party at Hanji's. She threw it for herself to celebrate finally obtaining her PhD. But they were actually getting along remarkably well, even so much as drunkenly making out on the balcony. He surprisingly managed to get to second base until Erwin cheekily interrupted. He had every intention of bringing her home that night until _something _changed in her behavior towards him. If only he could figure out what that something was.

After tying the final stitch, Levi adeptly wrapped a bandage around her forearm. He tucked her arm underneath the blanket and began to clean the cut on her forehead. It was nowhere near as serious as the wound on her arm. Placing a small bandage above her brow, Levi looked her over once more.

It was a job well done, considering how exhausted he was.

Mikasa shifted onto her side, incoherently mumbling something in her sleep.

Levi observed her until she became still again. Touching her arm with the back of his hand, Levi sighed. Her skin was still like ice.

_She's definitely going to hate me even more in the morning_, he thinks glumly as he lifts the blankets and lies beside her. Wrapping his arms around her middle from behind, he tugs her frail body closer to his. The scent of her skin was the same as it was four years ago. Cherry blossoms. And her hair like honey and vanilla. It was infuriating, but he buried his face into her hair anyway.

Fatigue soon took over him, her fragrance filling his senses as he lost consciousness.

xxxxx

_What happens in the morning? ;)_

_Tell me what you think!_


	2. Sweetheart, Bitter Heart

_Sorry for the long wait! Hopefully this lengthy chapter makes up for it. Just so everyone knows, perspectives will change between both Levi and Mikasa in every chapter. I usually never write from a woman's stance, so this is a nice new challenge for me. Also! I tweaked a few details from the prologue to better suit the direction I'm planning on going._

_Warning: Violence, harassment, and other mature themes._

xxxxx

Sweetheart, Bitter Heart

xxxxx

Mikasa's curled up on the sofa, head resting against a fluffy pillow and body tightly wound in her favorite blanket as she mindlessly flipped through television channels. She groans, curling her fingers into the pillow before burying her face into the soft material. The sound of the fighting in the shitty reality show playing on the television, along with her roommates arguing in the kitchen, wasn't alleviating her mounting headache. Their dispute was simply about who was paying for drinks that night. Last time they went out, Sasha ended up emptying out Annie's pockets, poorly attempting to keep a boy around by offering him free alcohol. Mikasa flattens onto her back, rubbing her exhausted, rheumy eyes.

"Would you two please shut up?" Her voice is hoarse and bitter, and immediately after the words are uttered, a bout of raspy coughing wracks her body.

Sasha scurried over to Mikasa, setting a box of tissues and honeyed green tea at the corner of the coffee table nearest the ill woman. "Sorry, Mikasa." The auburn-haired girl touched the back of her hand to Mikasa's forehead, mouth twisting into a bizarrely sympathetic grimace. The dejected girl curled her fingers, settling her hands on her lap when Mikasa forced them away.

"I know you're not feeling well, but are you sure you don't want to come tonight? It's a Friday, after all, and you should be out instead of sitting here like a lazy bum. _Everyone__'s _going to be there, and I don't want you missing ou—"

"She said she doesn't want to, Sasha. So can we go now?" Annie's frosty voice interjects as she emerges from the kitchen, in the process of wrapping her muffler around her neck. The blonde doesn't bother to spare a glance at her ailing roommate as she steps out of the threshold of their apartment, leaving Sasha gaping and sputtering. Instead of following after the girl like a kicked puppy, Sasha fumbles with something inside her purse. Mikasa's about to ask her what in the hell she's doing when she pulls out a slip of paper, sliding it onto the coffee table beside her cup of tea. She grinned, whispering, "If you change your mind," before she abruptly stood up and darted out of the apartment to catch up to Annie.

Mikasa reached for her mug, as well as the thick scrap of paper, ignoring the ache in her muscles as she stretched her limbs. Taking a long pull of the hot beverage, Mikasa warily eyed what Sasha left behind. It was the ticket to the concert she was supposed to be attending that night. The indisposed girl found herself smiling at Sasha's thoughtful gesture. Despite what everyone thought, Sasha truly was her best friend.

Not Annie.

Not Armin.

Not even Eren.

Sasha.

She confessed secrets to the girl that she could never even imagine revealing to the other three. Nor did she ever think she would stay up until the early hours of the morning, gossiping about men and indulging herself with sweets just because the girl _somehow_ convinced her to. It was strange at first, but Mikasa unexpectedly welcomed the childlike rapport of her peculiar friend, seeing as she never reveled in that sort of pleasure when she was younger.

Chewing on her lip, Mikasa contemplated whether or not she should go out. It was freezing outside and her flu would only get worse if she overexerted herself, but she was never one wallow around at home, allowing her sickness to prevent her from doing something. What was so different this time?

Disregarding her protesting muscles, Mikasa sluggishly lifted herself off the couch, allowing the blanket to pool at her feet before she rushed into the bathroom. After rifling through the medicine cabinet, she swallowed another dose of her flu medicine, stripping out of her sweats before pulling back the shower curtain and hopping in. Mikasa sighed in relief, pressing her forehead against the cool tile as the hot water soothingly scalded her prickled skin.

Mikasa bounds down the stairs over half an hour later, clad in a white knee-length dress, pink cardigan, and her warmest anorak. Of course, wrapped around her neck was her crimson scarf, slipped over her mouth and nose to keep the chilling wind at bay. She texts Sasha as soon as she's on the bus, letting her know she was on her way. Once she pockets her phone, her eyes met the intense gaze of an odd man sitting across from her.

His appearance seemed normal enough—possibly only a few years older than her—but his steely gaze was enough to raise alarm. It was different from the merciless stare her neighbor shot her from time to time. Levi was challenging, teasing even, but this man exuded danger. His eyes trailed appreciatively down her form and she fought down the bile rising in her throat. Mikasa exhaled a shuddering breath, crossing her boots at the ankle and gripping her bag tighter on her lap, refusing to openly display her weakness to this intimidating stranger. But he refuses to remove his eyes off her, even after Mikasa uncomfortably averts her own. It's agonizing, and she has to fight the urge to lunge across the space between them to punch him in the face.

Relief instantly washes over the girl once they reach her stop five minutes later. But the feeling is short-lived as she attempts to cast aside the fact that the man followed her off the bus.

Her strides are brisk and determined, and before she knows it, she's standing outside the entrance of the nightclub, completely forgetting about the strange man. She flashes the ticket to the guard outside the establishment, making her way inside without any effort.

"Sasha!" She attempts to yell over the blaring melody. Mikasa spots her friend laughing and beaming at a tall man beside her, guzzling her beer and embarrassingly spilling the beverage on her blouse. Her lips pull up as she giggles at Sasha's disgraceful antics, pushing her way between groups of inebriated men and women.

"Sasha!" She yells again, this time a lot nearer. Sasha's hand stills from wiping her top as she turns to Mikasa, eyes lighting up with recognition. "I thought I heard someone say my name," the girl laughs, tossing a few napkins away.

"Who's this?" Mikasa asks, curiously eyeing the man behind Sasha. He looked awfully familiar; perhaps they had a class together.

"This is Jean," Sasha began, blushing as she turned back to the handsome man. "He goes to the same university as us."

"Yeah! We actually had anatomy together last semester. I remember seeing you around." He replies flippantly, taking another pull at his alcohol. Mikasa nods slowly, thoroughly remembering who he was now. Jean constantly stared at her throughout the entire duration of their class, wistfully daydreaming about the two of them, no doubt. The look in his eyes was something she encountered time and time again. It wasn't like she didn't know she was a beautiful girl, because she did, she just never felt like taking advantage of it. And the one time she decided to take that chance, he wound up being an asshole with a superiority complex.

_The damn midget still needs to get what he deserves_, Mikasa thought, annoyed at herself for even thinking about that short man at a time like this.

Mikasa forced a smiled, turning back to Jean and Sasha. Both seemed to be utterly engrossed in each other, and it frankly made Mikasa a little sick to her stomach watching the two openly lock lips in front of her.

She cleared her throat. "Where's Annie?"

At the mention of their roommate's name, Sasha froze before ripping herself out of Jean's arms.

"She's... I don't know. She told me to leave her alone. And you know how she is when she's angry."

Brows knitting together in confusion, Mikasa surveyed the room, hoping to catch a glimpse of the bad-tempered blonde. "Do you know what happened?"

Sasha shot her a pointed look. "You're kidding, right? You _know_ the reason why she's acting up, Mikasa. Please talk some sense into your brother."

Mikasa's jaw clenched, frustrated beyond belief upon hearing the news. In all honesty, Mikasa knew that this would be the result of their outing, but every last shred of hope in her prayed for the opposite. She shrugged off her jacket, tossing it onto a chair before stalking off to locate her shitty brother. She found him sitting in a booth not too far from where Jean and Sasha were, arm thrown carelessly around the shoulders of a petite blonde Mikasa had never seen before. Her hands curled into fists at the revolting sight. This was just another reminder why Mikasa needed to punch Levi in the face.

She didn't know how he did it, but after he convinced Eren to break up with Annie, things have never been the same. She didn't approve of Eren and Annie's relationship at first, but after she saw how much the break up devastated Annie, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. It didn't help that Annie thought it was somehow Mikasa's fault as well, only because she was around Levi that night. No matter how many times she tried to convince her otherwise, Annie never bothered to forgive her.

When Eren saw Mikasa approaching the table, he immediately retracted his arm from the blonde. "Mikasa!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I-I thought you were sick!" Eren yelled, bright green eyes filling with guilt.

"_Answer _my question, Eren! What are you doing?" Her voice came out nasally and not nearly as intimidating as she wanted to be. As Eren stuttered, picking his brain for an unconvincing excuse, the girl beside him stared at her like she had an extra limb. "Is she your girlfriend or something?"

"No!" They yelled simultaneously.

"She's my annoying adoptive sister," Eren grumbled, lifting the brim of the glass of beer to his lips.

Mikasa felt her heart give a painful jolt, holding back tears that threatened to fill her dark eyes. She refused to let him know how deeply it hurt her hearing those words leave his mouth. "Fine, insult me all you want," her voice wavered slightly, "But you need to fix things with Annie. It's tearing our friendship apart. It's been two years, Eren. _Please_?"

The corners of Eren's mouth pulled down as he rolled his eyes.

"I don't have to do anything."

Huffing, Mikasa pivoted on her heel and left the table, shaking her head in disbelief. Since when had Eren began acting like a jerk? She supposed she could've blamed his behavior on the alcohol, but even then, he had been behaving like this for over a year now. What suddenly caused his change in personality? Other than blaming Levi yet again, she could think of none. But Levi wasn't _that _much of a jerk, was he?

Shaking her head, Mikasa ignored Sasha's prodding questions and snatched the half empty glass out of her hands, downing its contents before heading over to the bar.

Stupid girl.

Stupid Eren.

Stupid _everyone_.

No one was going to prevent her from getting smashed that night. She wanted to forget, wanted to neglect the responsibilities she figured she owed to everyone. Every time she tried to fix things between her friends, they would push her away. Why did she even bother anymore?

Mikasa allowed her eyes to fall shut as she swallowed, the liquor burning her throat and warming her up before setting the third shot glass back down on the tabletop. Black spots began to litter her vision, blinking rapidly and rubbing her eyes to will them away, but it was no use. The last thing she remembered was sluggishly ambling over to the giant mass of drunken strangers, legs wobbling and crumbling to the filthy ground before her eyesight succumbed to the darkness.

xxxxx

A painful twinge shot from the back of Mikasa's head, waking her up with a grunt of discomfort, only to be hushed by a greasy hand. Unfocused eyes widen in alarm as she attempts to pry her way out of the man's grasp. But the man's hold is too strong, and Mikasa's mind too disoriented to have the strength to fight him. Mikasa wrinkles her nose when he speaks into her ear, sour breath brushing past her cheek and into her senses. She suddenly realizes that she's no longer inside the club, instead in a poorly lit alley with two other men laughing at her futile efforts to escape.

"If you want to live, you better not think about doing anything until _after _we're done with you." The stranger murmured again, the bite of an icy blade digging into her neck.

Mikasa blinked, observing the two men aimlessly walking in front of her and turning her eyes in an attempt to see the face of her captor pressed behind her. They didn't seem to have any firearms on them, nor the muscle to give a good fight. But her mind was still reeling, so they unfortunately still had an advantage over her.

"You picked a good one this time, Joe. This one doesn't have that much fight in her," the brunet across from her shouted gleefully. Her eyes narrowed. _Filthy animals. Oh how wrong you three are_. All she needed was the perfect moment to attack.

Mikasa would've flashed a wicked smirk at their ignorance if it weren't for what the man behind her replied next.

"I knew I had to have her when I saw her earlier. What a stupid girl." Joe redirected his attention to her. "Your friends are pretty stupid too, huh? Not keeping an eye on you. I bet they could care less if you're gone. Especially that brother of yours."

So it was the creepy man from the bus. Mikasa refused to take the bait, eye twitching slightly as she forced herself to hold back her anger.

A drop hit her cheek, startling her before she tipped her chin to the gloomy sky. It was a miracle. This was precisely what she needed to escape. Biting back another smile, she remained impassive and obedient to her kidnappers. Her eyelashes fluttered as the rain became heavier, water streaming down her cheeks and soaking her to the bone. _Just a little bit longer._

"Fuck! Are we almost there? It's cold as hell." The blond accomplice's mused, attempting to shield himself from the downpour with his arm.

The other man chuckled. "Stop being a fucking pussy. It's just water." The vulgar statement only spurred the two to start bickering.

_Now._

With a speed she didn't know she could accomplish in her state, Mikasa bit into Joe's finger as brutally as she could, swiftly pulling out the hidden lock knife from her right boot and impaling him underneath his jaw and through his tongue when he began to cry out in agony. The other two men rounded on her with barely enough time for her to pull the knife out of Joe's mouth. Though she managed to dodge both men, the brunet managed to slice her forearm open with his own hidden blade.

Mikasa held her wounded arm to her chest, yelping and then cursing at how quickly she was losing blood. At this rate, she would be as good as dead if she didn't seek help soon.

Slipping the knife into her left hand, Mikasa dives into her next attack, ignoring the dizziness when she kicks the brunet down, proceeding to stab him in the gut once he hit the wet concrete. Her balance is lost when the blond's blade barely grazes the left side of her forehead. She evades every thrust and cut of his weapon, boots skidding across the slippery pavement as he inches closer to her. The man becomes short of breath, and as soon as she spots an opening in his defense, she places all her strength in kicking the heel of her foot to his abdomen, propelling him back into the side of a garbage dumpster. _Too easy._ Mikasa hisses in pain as the adrenaline begins to wear off, clutching her bleeding arm again when she's sure the blow knocked the last man out.

She began walking home, slipping the bloodied knife into her cross-body purse and fumbling with her phone. Her fingers were stiff from the harsh combination of rain and scathing wind, smearing the screen with blood and water. But no matter how much effort she put into moving her thumb, it refused to budge. A sob escaped her lips as she pushed her phone back in to her purse, pale hand trembling when she brushed her drenched bangs out of her face. _Fuck it. I can do it myself_, she thought madly, pressing the sleeve of her left arm against her wound to slow the bleeding.

After stumbling down streets for what felt like ages, her apartment building was finally in sight.

She was so close. _So close._

Her back pressed to the door, throwing all her weight into it until it finally budged open. The lobby was empty, as she figured it would be since it was already one in the morning. Her luck was running out and she needed to heal herself fast. With a deep sigh, she pushed herself off the door, losing her balance as she made her way to the stairs.

Mikasa squeezed her eyes shut and leant against the wall, spots muddling her vision once again.

She didn't think she would make it.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't try.

Lifting a her leaden feet, she commenced the slow descent up the stairs, staggering over the steps until she reached the top of the first flight. Another angry jolt unexpectedly shot through her arm, causing her foot to get caught on one of the steps. Her arms shot out to stop her fall, but only worsened the pain in her forearm once her right hand landed on the frigid linoleum floor.

Another weak cry slipped out of her mouth as her body finally collapsed on stairwell.

This was it.

Mikasa slumped her head against a step, eyes following the hot trails of scarlet before they added to the steadily expanding crimson puddle on the floor. Her onyx eyes eventually fluttered close, surrendering to her fatigue, and welcoming the darkness like an old friend.

xxxxx

Mikasa yawned, stretching her limbs until they popped deliciously, turning in her spot and wrapping her arm around a hard pillow before snuggling into it. It was unbelievably warm and cozy, and the young woman had no intention of getting up any time soon. Fingers curled into the fabric, breathing in the unique scent of pine wood, soap, and a hint of smoke of the object wrapped in her arms. It was an aroma she encountered before, she just couldn't seem to pinpoint where or what it was from. A soft exhale tickled her ear, eyes snapping open when she realized her "pillow" was steadily rising and falling. It wasn't a pillow at all, it was...

Memories interrupted her confused musings. Ravenous lips nipping and licking every inch of her hot exposed skin, the humidity only electrifying the tension between them, and the way he pressed her into the cool, brick wall; the thrill of getting caught encouraging them to take it another step further. The distinct scent overpowered her senses during their little rendezvous.

Oh, she definitely remembered now.

Levi.

What the hell was she doing in here? How did she even _get_ in here? She knew almost immediately that this wasn't her apartment. The couch they were currently on was a big giveaway because it was literally the softest thing she ever slept on and not the lumpy sofa situated in her living room. Her eyes flitted throughout the expanse of his home, jealous that it was a lot cozier than she expected it to be. _Stupid Levi and his nice things_, she groused in her head, rolling her eyes at her own childish thoughts.

Mikasa squeezed her arms in between their chests, pushing away from him as roughly as she could until her right arm began to tighten painfully. Her eyes darted to her forearm, only now noticing the bandages wrapped around it.

"Would you please stay still?" Levi's sleep-riddled voice mumbled, circling his arms around her tighter until she couldn't budge.

"What did you do to me, you creep!? And... And why am I _naked_?" She asked frantically, voice rising with every word. He doesn't answer her, instead choosing to fall back asleep once again. Mikasa raises her hand to deliver a slap to his face, but Levi's own hand encloses around her wrist before she has the chance to bring it back down. His slate blue eyes finally peek open at her and her insides melt at the look he gives her.

_Remember what he did, Mikasa. Remember what he did,_ she chants to herself.

He smirks, and she inhales a shaky breath. "Don't even think about it."

How was he always one step ahead of her?

When she doesn't respond, his fingers trail down her arm, thumb delicately tracing the gauze before gliding down to the swell of her hip. His touch thrilled her, staggering her heart and leaving a burning, tingling sensation wherever their skin came in contact. All he had to do was shoot a seductive stare in her direction and she was all his—at least, that's what happened the first night they met. It was certainly occurring right now.

"I never knew how attractive you were in the morning, Ackerman. I have to say, that bird's nest you call hair and your clown makeup are really turning me on."

Her eyes narrowed at him. Now the midget was just messing with her. He really was a jackass.

"Fuck you. You didn't answer my question, by the way." She replied, patience shot, tugging the blanket over her bare shoulders. Her thumb swiped underneath her eyes, attempting to remove the dark makeup as his sharp eyes roamed over her features. "Hm... if you really thought I did something to you, you wouldn't still be lying here with me, now would you? I'm actually quite surprised you haven't tried fighting back more."

He had a point. Perhaps she really wasn't feeling well. Her body suddenly froze, events from the night before surging through her mind; Sasha and her new boyfriend, Eren, the men who had every intention of having her. And Levi took care of her, _healed _her, despite the fact that he knew she loathed him.

"I—Did you—" She faltered, taking a deep breath before speaking through clenched teeth. "Thank you." The foreign words drove a grimace onto her face.

"You must be really sick to be thanking me," he quipped, cornering her on the couch. As his icy fingers met her stomach without warning, she flinched away from him, though it didn't do any good considering her position on the sofa. A finger traced along the cup of her bra, his touch leaving her trembling as heat began to pool in her core. "What the hell do you think you're doing, pervert?"

"Nothing." He spoke calmly, dipping a finger inside until he grazed a nipple.

Mikasa's eyes widened, gasping in shock before swatting his hand away. She didn't think he would actually go that far! "Just because we kissed once, doesn't mean you have the rights to touch or go into my privates."

"Oh we did a _lot_ more than just kiss, as I'm sure you remember."

She rolled her eyes. "You're such a creep." Her retort was half-hearted as she sat up, scanning his apartment for her clothes. Her gaze moved back to Levi, who was already staring up at her, arms folded and tucked behind his head. His eyebrow lifted slightly, as if asking her what she was searching for. "Where did you put my clothes?"

He blindly gestured towards the trashcan not too far from them.

"Why would you throw them away!?"

"Because they were ruined. They were drenched in your blood and already torn before I cut it up. I'll pay you back, don't worry. And you can borrow something of mine in the meantime." Levi finally rose from the sofa. "Wait here." And he disappeared into another room, leaving Mikasa clutching the woolen blanket against her half naked form. Chewing on her low lip, Mikasa stood up, tugging the blanket along with her as she explored the rest of his home. It was extremely clean, aside from the bloodied towels resting on a chair, and the lack of bright colors and sparse furniture actually amused her. _What a boring man. _A picture catches her eye as she reaches one of the bookshelves and, lifting the frame to get a better look, finds herself smiling at the photograph placed inside.

It was a picture of Hanji, Levi, and their friend Erwin, along with few other people she had only seen a couple of times. They were all dressed in black graduation robes, but what surprised her was the genuine smile on Levi's face. He was an attractive man, she couldn't deny that, but the simple upturn of both corners of his lips and a sliver of white only made him more handsome. Mikasa shook the thoughts out of her head, placing the frame back in it's respectable spot.

_Why am I thinking about him like this again? _She questions herself, scratching her scalp before threading slim fingers through knotted hair. She just shrugs it off, figuring that she must've hit her head when she fell in the stairwell last night.

She turns just in time to see Levi emerge from the kitchen, holding a glass of water in one hand and a roll of plastic wrap in the other, clothes and a towel tucked underneath an arm. "Drink," he ordered, thrusting the cup into her hands.

"Why?"

"Just do it, Ackerman."

Mikasa sighed. "I have a name, you know." She mumbles, lifting the rim to her lips and taking a small sip. Half-lidded eyes stare at her apathetically, ensuring that she finished the tasteless beverage. "I'm aware of that. I just don't care." He eventually responds, stuffing a hand into his pocket as he waited patiently for her.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes again. Finishing her cup of water, she handed back the glass to Levi, pointing at the plastic wrap in his grasp. "What's that for?"

A towel, several articles of clothing, and the roll of plastic wrap were unceremoniously thrown into her arms. "Take a damn shower. And wrap your bandages with the plastic wrap so they don't get wet. I also stuck some boxers in there so—"

"Oh, I don't need them."

Levi released a short chuckle, shaking his head. "Yes you do. The bathroom's around the corner." And without another word, the short man disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the naked woman gaping and struggling to hold up the blanket around her trembling body.

Completely humiliated, a vermillion blush crept up onto her cheeks. How the hell did he know she soiled her panties from his light teasing? And who the hell did he think he was? Bossing her around like that? The nervousness churning in her stomach made her want to flee out the front door, but his peculiar behavior was holding her back. He was acting pleasant, aside from pointing out her soiled underwear and the fiery touches that met her skin not too long ago. She wanted to take advantage of it while she still could.

The sound of a pan clanging on a metal surface, followed by the opening of the refrigerator, woke her from her thoughts.

_Is he...?_

Mikasa squeezed her eyes shut, making a dash to the bathroom and flicking the lock behind her. The blanket pooled at her feet. As she moved to set the clothes on the toilet, relief suddenly washes over her as she caught sight of her untouched purse in the sink. Her nose wrinkled upon realizing that the leather was coated in her blood; she didn't want to know how messy it was inside. Reaching inside the small bag, she pulled out her phone with her thumb and index finger, grimacing at the dry blood caked on the screen. Tightening her lips into a thin line, the young woman scratched her thumb along the surface, determinedly scraping off the brown flakes of blood until she could properly see the screen again.

Twelve missed calls from Sasha.

Mikasa groaned and pressed her number, holding her phone against her ear as she turned the shower faucet, waiting for Sasha to answer.

"Mikasa!" Sasha screamed into the phone. "Where are you? What happened? Are you okay? What—" Sasha continued to bombard Mikasa with one question after another.

"Sasha, I'm fine! Just... calm down for a minute." Mikasa released a content breath as she sank into the steaming water. "I'm at... _someone's _home and—" Her best friend let out a high pitched squeal, surprising Mikasa and leaving her fumbling with her phone, trying not to drop the device in the murky water.

"You totally met someone last night, didn't you!? Oh please, please, _please_ tell me who it is? Do I know him? Did you two fuck? Is he _good _at it? Oh my god, is he—"

Her face burned with mortification, making an effort to block out the rest of Sasha's eager inquiries. Should she confess and tell her what really happened hours ago? Or should she just go along with it, pretending she did spend the night with some random guy. Or worse, should she tell her where she was and leave out her attack? Mikasa had no intention of worrying the girl, and she didn't feel like conjuring up some mystery man for Sasha's perverse thoughts; didn't she have a boyfriend now anyway? The half truth would have to do for now.

"I'm at Levi's." The statement effectively cut off Sasha, rendering the girl silent. Mikasa's eyes widen when she realizes what her announcement implied. She stutters, about to correct herself when Sasha's voice beats her to it.

"As in, Mr. Grumpy Pants? Short stuff? The guy who still makes poop jokes? The guy who spent his whole day disinfecting his apartment when he should have been moving in? I knew it! Hanji and I have been rooting for you two since forever! I had—"

"—We're not—"

"—no idea he was at the club last night. That doesn't seem like his type of place. Oh well! Who cares?" Sasha squealed again. "Tell me all the details!"

Mikasa struggled to put her thoughts into words. "We didn't _do _anything. We just... I got injured on the way home last night and he fixed it up for me."

Sasha laughed for a good minute. "Right, you guys didn't do anything. Because that totally explains why you stayed at his place last night. No need to make excuses, Mikasa. If you want to keep your late night trysts to yourself, then that's fine with me. I bet he's into some freaky things anyway and you don't need to subject my innocent ears to that."

"Dammit, Sasha!"

The girl giggled again. "So what are you doing? What's _he _doing?"

Mikasa frustratingly scrubbed her legs until they were red. "I'm taking a bath, as per his request, and he's... making breakfast."

"Oh how domestic! You should've asked him to join you. I bet just the thought of cleaning you would've turned him on."

The oriental woman fumed, tightening her grasp on the washcloth. "I'm hanging up now." She could hear Sasha's muffled protests as she pulled the phone away from her ear, ending the call without hesitation. Mikasa tossed the phone on top of Levi's clothes, sinking further into the tub until her head submerged into the water. She's in the middle of shampooing her hair when there's a knock at the door.

"Ackerman. You almost done?"

Mikasa squeezes her eyes shut as she washes the soap from her hair. "Uh, yeah. Five more minutes."

There's a pause before he speaks again. "You didn't get your bandages wet, did you?"

Her gaze flicks over to her forearm, wincing at the dripping bandages hanging on her arm. "Shit. Sorry, Levi, I forgot." The sound of his retreating footsteps came from outside the door, and she swears she hears him mutter "Damn brat never listens to what I say" as he furiously trudges away. She's out of the bathroom nearly ten minutes later, carrying her bag and shoes and biting her lip to hold back her laughter as she enters the kitchen. The quip about how his clothes were almost a size too small for her dies on her tongue the moment her eyes land on the breakfast he prepared for her.

"Sit." He ordered, pointing at the chair nearest to her. The legs of the wooden chair screeched against the tile floor as she pulled it out, sitting down and scooting close to the table before setting her belongings on the floor. After setting a plate filled with food in front of her, he effortlessly places a chair directly to her right, a medical kit in his free hand. Mikasa cut into her pancakes and stuffed two bites into her mouth until it was full, disregarding the disgusted look Levi shot towards her as he fished out the gauze bandages from the case, no doubt about her eating habits. Mikasa continued shoving bacon and eggs into her mouth as Levi tugged her right arm onto his lap, inspecting it before expertly wrapping the roll around her forearm.

"I don't know what the hell I ever saw in you. You eat like a fucking pig." He groused, material swiftly moving back and forth between his fingers.

Her pink tongue darted out, licking her sticky lips. "Oh yeah, like you're any better, clean freak."

"I have terrible taste in women."

"And I have terrible taste in men."

"Bitch."

"Asshole."

Levi cast a weary stare in her direction, releasing her arm as he finished covering up her stitches. Slate blue eyes narrowed at her, rising from his seat and walking over to the counter to pour himself a cup of coffee. "Would you like some?" He asks politely, glancing at her over his shoulder. His question catches her off guard, the hardened lines on her features softening as she straightens up in her chair. Mischievous to ill-tempered to gentlemanly, the constant shifts in his personality bewildered her to no end. How she had even considered dating this man, let alone have sex with him, she'll never know.

"S-Sure." _Get yourself together, Mikasa. He's just a stupid midget._

He reaches into a cabinet, pulling out another mug. "Cream? Sugar?"

"Both." Her reply is muffled by the last bits of pancake stuffed in her mouth. Her stomach does a little flop when he moves into the seat across from her, cautiously sliding the steaming cup of coffee across the table towards her. His eyes keep in contact with hers as he sips the hot liquid and Mikasa nervously swallows her food.

"So are you going to tell me what happened to you? And don't give me some bullshit story, Ackerman. I know when you're lying." There was a no nonsense expression on his face, one arm draped on the back of his chair and the other resting on the tabletop.

Mikasa chews on her lower lip, sipping her coffee in hopes that it'll bring a shred of confidence in what she was about to tell him. It doesn't. Her fingers toy with the ends of her damp hair as she begins her recount of the night before.

"I was supposed to go to a concert with Sasha and Annie last night. I wasn't feeling very well so decided to stay home for the night. But Sasha left my ticket behind for me just in case I wanted to come along later. Of course, being the stubborn woman that I am, I thought that I shouldn't let my flu hold me back and I ended up going to the concert. What made it worse was the fact that Eren was being an asshole again and I don't really want to get into _why_ he was, but he ruined my night. So I ended up getting drunk. And I'm still not sure whether or not I passed out because alcohol and my flu medication is a bad combination, or if it was because someone somehow slipped something into my drink. I'm still not su—"

"This is a _really_ boring story," Levi interrupted, running his fingertips along the rim of his mug.

She shot a glare at the short man opposite her. "Do you want me to finish or not?"

Levi rolled his eyes, making a gesture with his hand to indicate she should continue.

"So I wake up a little later and there's three guys holding me hostage, and from what they were saying, they had every intention of raping me. Unlucky for them, I've taken extensive classes in self-defense and I ended up beating their asses. I didn't win the fight unscathed though, as you can tell. I couldn't call myself an ambulance, so I thought I could just fix it up by myself at home and I ended up passing out on the stairs on the way there. And then I woke up this morning, half naked in the arms of the man I despise."

His head tilted appreciatively, jet black hair falling into his eyes and one corner of his pale lips pulling up into a smirk. Judging by the playful glint in his half-lidded eyes, Mikasa knew he reverted back into his mischievous persona. It was a miracle she could keep up with him. "Impressive. I hope you really beat the shit out of them, otherwise I'll have to finish the job for you."

It baffled her, hearing those words leave his mouth, yet she could tell he was serious despite the impish gleam flickering in his steely eyes. Her lips pursed, scrutinizing him with suspicious gunmetal orbs. Levi was up to something, and she was determined to figure out what it was.

"_Really_? You'd protect me? You'd beat up a random stranger for me?"

He nods once. "If there's a justifiable reason to, then yes. Why not?"

The glare she sends him is filled with venom, but he shows no sign that he's perturbed by her, expression remaining stoic even when hers falters. "But I hate you! Why would you do that?"

The man sighed, palm running down an enervated face as he spoke slowly. "Are you seriously complaining about getting saved? I may not care about what people's opinions are of me, but I'm not just going to sit idly by when someone needs my help. Do you really think that lowly of me, Mikasa?"

_Mikasa. _The last three syllables that surpassed his lips triggered a tremble down her spine, like she jumped in a pool on bone-chilling water while simultaneously feeling like her stomach was filling with molten lava. _Mikasa. _Her name on his chapped lips left her fingertips tingling. _Mikasa. _Images of lips meeting hungrily and teeth clumsily clashing danced behind her eyelids every time she blinked. Levi, stealing her breath by sealing his scratchy mouth tightly on hers, her chin pinched between his thumb and index finger, inching his way down the porcelain expanse of her throat. Her body was humming with excitement, skin becoming feverish from her improper thoughts.

"Mikasa?"

Her eyes snapped open, jumping slightly as Levi woke her from her daydream. His stern brow and surprisingly gentle eyes almost made her cringe. _He must know. Surely he must know what I was just remembering._ But Levi never indicated that he was aware of her secret, concern never straying from his sharp features even after she chose not to answer his question. This wasn't what she imagined this morning to be like and she hated every minute of it. Things were becoming far too casual for her liking, far too familiar, and she refused to allow herself to get close to this horrible man once again._  
_

Mikasa swallowed thickly, propelling the chair backwards as she abruptly stood up. "I have to go."

She slips her boots on, bending to grab her purse from underneath the table before straightening again, noticing that Levi stood up as well. "Let me walk you up."

His tone was insisting and Mikasa didn't have the heart to tell him no, so with one dismal nod, she strolled over to the only window in his kitchen, opening it until she could fit her body through. Her skin prickled, quivering at the gust of wind that blew through the window.

"Is there something wrong with the front door?" He inquired behind her as she climbed through the window and onto the fire escape. He followed her out, watching her curiously as she attempted to rub some warmth into her arms.

"I don't want Sasha and Annie to see what happened to me."

"Fair enough," he mutters, standing close behind her as they begin the vigilant decent up the stairs to the floor above them. Her breath clouds out in front of her as she exhales heavily, shivering violently at the constant gusts of wind hitting her bare arms. Her boots skids against one of the slippery steps, but a firm hand at the small of her back holds her steady. "Just relax, Ackerman."

The oriental girl squeezes her eyes shut, taking a deep breath before continuing the trek up the stairs. The pair finally arrive at the top, both taking a second to breathe a sigh of relief. Mikasa struggles to lift open the window into her apartment, fingers too numb to be able to do anything productive. But Levi gently pushes her aside, deftly pulling the window open without any effort. She steps into her kitchen, thankful to be immersed in familiar surroundings once again.

"Hey!" Mikasa turned back to him, observing him as he bent down to crouch and lean into the opened windowsill. "See me tomorrow about your arm. I need to make sure it's healing alright. And..." He slipped a hand into his pocket, withdrawing a piece of paper and pushing it into her chilled hands. "For your clothes," he explained when she sent him a questioning look.

Stormy eyes widened when she unfolded the wrinkled paper. "Levi, this is _far _too much money for a dress and a cardigan."

He shrugged, flashing her a crooked smile. Mikasa's heart nearly melted, and before she knew it, she kneeled down to his level, her hands impulsively reached out for him to press a simple kiss on his cold cheek. When she pulled away, all she could notice was the shock etched onto his features, and she felt her face flame into a brilliant red.

"Thank you. For everything."

And with that, she shoved him onto his ass, slamming the window shut and closing the curtains before he had a chance to respond. Her cheeks maintained its crimson hue long after she locked herself in her bedroom. It didn't help much either when Sasha spoke to her later, jokingly suggesting that she must have had been fucked long and hard to keep the flush of her cheeks for such an extended amount of time.

That earned a pillow thrown directly on the brunette's face, laughter only increasing seeing as Sasha remained unperturbed by the fuming oriental.

Mikasa buried her burning face in her palms, thoroughly confused and strangely giddy at her conflicted feelings.

xxxxx

_This was actually going to be a lot longer, but I felt like it ended nicely there._

_More will be revealed in the upcoming chapters, so please just bear with me._

_And before you all tell me that things are happening too fast, trust me when I say that things won't be happening between them for a while._

_Review and I promise the next chapter will be posted a lot faster! :)_


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